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Daichi
midnight at the glamour show on a sunday night Found throughout East Asian folklore are innumerable tales about the fox, an animal considered predisposed to magic and particularly prone to developing ghostly qualities. Like the tengu, foxes were both divine and mischievous beings, adept at shape shifting and illusion and often accused of possessing and misleading humans. The fox refines its talents over the years and acquires wisdom with age, and it was thought that a fox lucky enough to survive fifty or a hundred years would then be sufficiently skilled in magic to transform into a person. As a sign of its seniority, a long-lived fox would develop an extra tail with each passing century, until it possessed nine and had become impossibly powerful and clever. Foxes were thought to live lives much like people, and in art they often interact with each other in a partially anthropomorphic form, standing on two legs and wearing clothes. But to enter the world of humans they had to look completely like them, as foxes caught trying to trick people with disguises would be severely punished, and often wound up in soup. A fox wishing to transform itself had many special techniques at its disposal, such as placing a human skull on top of its head and praying to the Big Dipper. A careless fox might still leave elements of its anatomy unchanged beneath its clothes, usually a tail but sometimes fur and paws as well, and sometimes it was thus discovered. The most famous kitsune stories involve foxes that transform themselves into beautiful women, usually for devious purposes but sometimes out of love. Foxes in human form would even sometimes marry human men and have children, who would manifest their supernatural vulpine heritage in unusual strength, charisma, or spiritual power. Famous men such as the great onmyouji Abe no Seimei were often said to be the sons of fox wives. Foxes have also become very closely associated and even confused with the god Inari, the ambiguously-gendered god/goddess of rice and the harvest, and are often thought to be his/her messengers or incarnations. Depictions of foxes have largely replaced anthropomorphic images of Inari at his/her many shrines, which are guarded by a pair of stone foxes instead of the usual Chinese lions. Offerings of abura-age (fried, sweetened tofu), thought to be a favorite of foxes, are often made to this god. Various ranks of foxes are said to exist; at the bottom is the yako or nogitsune, the ordinary, earthly "field fox", above that are the kiko (air or spirit fox), and the kuuko (sky or emptiness fox); and the highest of all is the tenko or amagitsune, the fox of heaven, sometimes considered to be the same being as the great tengu. The nogitsune, as the only kind of fox that does not serve Inari, is also the only type that can harm a human being, but these wild foxes can still sometimes reach their full nine-tailed potential. everybody drink alotta whiskey and wine Daichi (大地 or 'great land') is a Nogitsune - a fox demon of the Earth, and the only type of fox that does not serve Inari. Many of these foxes can be harmful or cruel and are the only type that can hurt a human being, but some do not fall to evil. Instead they're merely mischievous, though they can still act as guides or guardians like their heavenly brethren - and can certainly gain all nine of their tails, good deeds or bad (all that is required are age and magic, after all). Daichi, personally, is approximately two hundred twenty-seven years old, with both tails to prove it. He was born in Hokkaidō in the late 18th century. His mother and father were getting on in years, and while he and his siblings were still somewhat young they latched onto a poor farming family. The family was kind and treated them with respect, though not keen on the pranks the youngest ones played on them. It was only when one of Daichi's youngest siblings nearly drowned in the well (even demons can drown) and the farmer's wife saved him that the foxes felt indebted to the family and promised to watch over them. The fact that they stole from others in order to help the family's gain is neither here nor there. On top of that, the crops prospered - land, home and family were all protected by the foxes' magic, and the same kept other spirits and demons at bay. The family would all live long and prosperous lives, all because they were kind even to the foxes that bothered them with play. When the oldest daughter, Akane, married and was to move out with her husband (the home was simply too small to accommodate any more people, even a husband), her father begged their guardians to send one of them along to protect his daughter. Daichi, who had always been fond of her, agreed to the task. He protected the new family as best he could - but even he couldn't prevent Akane's husband from being killed while he worked the fields. While Akane was devastated and close to birthing the couple's first child, Daichi was old enough and had enough magic to pretend to be a human. He did so, taking on the appearance of Akane's husband. He wasn't able to conceal his tail, still being just young enough for the magic to be incomplete. Akane knew it was the fox, but he explained to her that it was his duty, in fulfilling his promise to the family, to take care of her and the baby. She accepted the help (albeit slightly reluctantly at first, fearing the consequences should the charade be found out), and they lived together for many a year with Daichi as the only father that her child ever knew. Somewhere along the line love came into the picture, and the two became lovers. They had a few more children. The ones they had together, being part demon, were strong, charismatic and beautiful (not to say that the first child was none of these things), albeit with a wholly human appearance. When Akane finally grew old and died, Daichi was devastated, and as broken as a young fox demon could be. He stayed with his family though, as patriarch - though when it came time for him to 'pass' as well he did, staying with his family in form of a fox after he allowed his human appearance to wither and decay. Daichi stayed with the family for generations, even traveling in a move to the big city with them. As one of his great-great grandsons aged, his wife and children dead from a sickness their protector could not prevent - Daichi approached him with an offer, still holding tight to his promise. He revealed himself as ancestor to the old man and offered to 'move in' with him in human guise as a long lost nephew and carry on the family name. The offer was accepted, and Daichi finally took on the family name, along with a new name to tie him to the human world - Niyake Kazuki. 'Niyake' was especially amusing to him, the meaning being 'two houses' and he having two tails thus far. Old enough to conceal them as well, he fit in well in the family's circle. When his 'uncle' died, he mourned accordingly; he really did feel sorrow, much as he did with Akane's passing and the passing of any of his descendants. He works in a library in Tokyo now, living in the home he now claims as his own. we dance like there's no tomorrow The magic of fox demons is rather strong - especially so the older they get. Daichi in particular can transform himself into a human very well, by placing any of the following over his head: reeds, a broad leaf, or a skull, most often human. He prefers the leaves, if only because killing or grave-robbing is so messy. While he used to not be able to hide his tail, now that as well comes easily even though he has two of them. His is even able to disguise most fox-like facial features, which had been a slight problem in times past. He is also able to possess young women (and only young women, a strange trait shared by all foxes) if he sees fit, though he rarely finds the need to. He can become invisible if needed, and also create extremely realistic illusions (this much, he uses often.). He can force his way into the dreams of humans - something he does more often as well, using it to communicate with his family while in fox form. He is smart, charismatic and attractive - all that lend to the mischief and trickery, rest assured. Dogs can see through his magic and thus hate him as much as he hates them (other animals can as well, but they're hardly so uppity about it) - also, extremely pious or magically-inclined people can see him as he really is. Mind-readers, however, will find that his mind is nigh unreadable. Daichi, as a fox, is wholly unable to say 'moshi moshi' as a greeting, and thus actually keeps a recording of it in a voice similar to his own that he uses to greet people on the phone. He doesn't answer his phone in public. we’re on burlesque time Daichi is both mischievous and friendly, though a lack of the morality that humans have is sometimes an issue - he sees no problem with stealing from those he doesn't know or care for to benefit those he does, and so on and so forth. He's never been CAUGHT doing these things, but in the event that he is, he will be lucky that foxes are so very charming. He has full emotional capacity, which some people forget - he is able to love and hate, to mourn and feel joy, so on and so forth. He is extremely loyal to the family that he has pledged himself to, and will do anything to see them taken care of and protected. He hates dogs with a blinding passion, and will avoid them at all costs - he does, however, have a friend in a Sune-kosuri (or 'shin rubber,' a small and furry creature whose joy in life is rubbing on people's shins, especially when it rains. No, really.) that takes the appearance of a small dog and is often seen with him, though she stays behind when he heads to work in the library. He named her Chinatsu, because he thinks he's funny. In friendly situations he's not quite loud but he's somehow heard exactly when he wants to be. He's very kind to those he cares for or feels indebted to - but to those that disrespect him, he's just as likely to play a prank or curse them. He loves playing pranks, but he's done it far less often as late - perhaps a side-effect of his age. but everybody’s gotta work tomorrow at nine Daichi is about 5'10" in his current chosen human form, and slightly built. He's tan, with shaggy brown hair and a constant scruff about the face. His eyes are dark, and he has a tattoo on his right arm. His features aren't very fox-like, though when he laughs his face scrunches up in something similar to a stereotypical Kitsune mask. He dresses simply, in jeans and t-shirts, though he cleans up a bit for working at the library. In fox form, he is an average-looking Japanese Red Fox, though he has two tails. Category:characters Category:living